Happy National Vet Tech Week 🐾❤️
In 2010, the Association of Professional Dog Trainers established the first-ever National Train Your Dog Month.
The purpose of this month is to bring awareness to the importance of socialization and training and, most of all, to remind the public that training your dog can be easy and fun!
If you happened to welcome a new pup to the family this holiday season, check out their website for some amazing resources that will help you and your family learn about everything from teaching your children about dog safety to how to handle your barking dog and everything in between!
https://trainyourdogmonth.com
Yes, our precious doggos do get dementia...It's formally referred to as Canine Cognitive Dysfunction (CCD) which can present itself as involutive depression, dysthymia, hyper-aggression, or confusional syndrome.
Here are some signs of doggy dementia. And remember, always speak with a Veterinarian about any concerns you have for your pet!
🐶 Pacing back and forth or in circles (often turning consistently in one direction)
🐶 Getting lost in familiar places
🐶 Staring into space or walls
🐶 Walking into corners or other tight spaces and staying there
🐶 Appearing lost or confused
🐶 Waiting at the “hinge” side of the door to go out
🐶 Failing to get out of the way when someone opens a door
🐶 Failing to remember routines, or starting them and getting only partway through
🐶 Sundowning
You already know that overweight pets are more likely to live shorter lives. 😩 But did you know that there are other health issues that extra weight can lead to like cancer, joint injury, UTIs, heart disease, and back problems?
It's tough to help our pets keep up a healthy weight, we know.
👇Here are some simple and actionable steps you can take to help your pet stay healthy👇
1. Measure our portions
2. Choose a proper diet for your pet's life stage
3. Show love without treats
4. Exercise
5. Visit the vet if your pet falls into the overweight class to check for signs of hypothyroidism, diabetes, or arthritis
Thank you so much for trusting us with your pet. We are honored that you have placed your trust in us. We wish you all the best this holiday season!
💛 Did you know that owning a pet improves your cardiovascular health?
💛 The CDC and NIH found that pet owners display decreased blood pressure, cholesterol, and triglyceride levels, which can all minimize their risk of a heart attack.
💛 Furthermore, those who have already experienced a heart attack tend to have better recovery rates if they own a dog or a cat!
Gastroenteritis may seem like a simple case of vomiting and diarrhea, but medical treatment is warranted to correct dehydration and electrolyte imbalances and to determine the underlying cause.
If your pet is suffering from gastroenteritis, make a veterinary appointment and have the answers to these questions on hand during your appointment:
➡️ Has your pet had any new foods or treats recently?
➡️ When was the last time your pet ate and drank normally?
➡️ What is your pet currently eating, and how much?
➡️ Has your pet been exposed to any new people, pets, animals, or places recently?
➡️ Could your pet have ingested any cleaning products, pesticides, or other chemicals?
➡️ Has your pet had other vomiting and diarrhea episodes?
➡️ What medications or supplements does your pet take?
Dogs can get the flu! Just like me and just like you! 😰
There are two identified strains of the canine influenza virus (CIV) -- H3N8 and H3N2. Both strains are spread mostly through close contact, respiratory secretions, contaminated objects, and people carrying viral pathogens that can transmit to dogs. Canine influenza viral strains are highly contagious among dogs.
CIV is mild in most cases but, as with people, some can develop into a more severe illness. Dogs with mild CIV will generally develop a mild cough that sounds similar to kennel cough. Dogs with CIV may also display the following signs:
➡️ Eye discharge
➡️ Sneezing
➡️ Nasal discharge
➡️ Fever
➡️ Lethargy
➡️ Inappetence
In severe cases, dogs can develop a high fever, pneumonia, and a bacterial infection secondary to the viral infection.
About 20% of dogs who contract CIV remain asymptomatic but can still pass it along to other dogs. If an outbreak occurs in your area, be sure to:
➡️ Vaccinate your dog for both CIV strains if you travel with, board, or visit dogs parks often
➡️ Keep your dog away from other dogs who exhibit signs of illness
➡️ If you've been interacting with a sick dog, be sure to wash your hands and change your clothes before engaging with your own dog.
Fun Fact:
🐱🐱 cats is simply called a pair
But 🐱🐱🐱+ cats? Well, 🐱🐱🐱+ cats are called a "clowder"!
So...do you own a single cat 🐱? A pair of cats 🐱🐱? Or a clowder 🐱🐱🐱+?
Type your answer in the comments, below.
Whether you're planning on adopting an older pet or you already have an elderly cat or dog, your senior pet deserves to be pampered and spoiled!
💓 Here are 6⃣ ways you can shower your senior pet with love 💓
1. ✅ Upgrade their bed: If your pet has had the same bed for months or even years, it's likely that the padding has compressed which provides little to no support on your pet's achy joints. Treat your pet to a firm, orthopedic bed that gives your pet plenty of cushion and support.
2. ✅ Encourage physical activity: Your pet is now at "retirement" age, so rest and relaxation are entirely natural! However, too little activity can cause senior pets to develop heart issues. Without regular, low-impact exercise, their muscles atrophy which, in turn, makes daily activities more difficult.
3. ✅ Mental enrichment: Your pet's brain is a muscle! Keep their mind sharp with enrichment activities like food puzzles, nose work training, or other daily training sessions.
4. ✅ Diet: As your pet ages, their nutritional needs change as well. Oftentimes, they require fewer calories. However, please remember that each pet will have individualized needs specific to their health. Speak to your veterinarian to determine the best dietary needs for your pet.
5. ✅ Home navigation: As your pet ages, going up and down stairs can be more challenging. Your senior pet may also struggle with tall furniture, slick floors, low food & water dishes, or litter boxes with tall sides. You can remedy these issues by placing runners on slick floors, raising your pet's food/water dishes, placing your pet's necessities all in one area, investing in a litter box with shorter sides, or installing ramps for easier access in and out o your home or favorite piece of furniture.
6. ✅ Bi-Annual Wellness Exams: Pets age much faster than humans and their health can change rapidly. With regular exams, you'll be able to closely monitor early signs of organ dysfunction, arthritis pain, dental
Poll: What are some of the ideal personality traits you want in a companion animal?
Energetic? Playful? Calm? Loyal? Guard Dog? Intelligent? Cuddly?
Post your answers in the comments below!
16% of dogs are SERIOUS 💩 eaters. What constitutes "serious"? They've been caught 5+ times in the act!
Have you ever caught your dog eating 💩?
There’s a scientific name for this habit— coprophagia (kop-ruh-fey-jee-uh)—and also both behavioral and physiological reasons why some dogs view 💩 as a delicacy.
Consult with your vet to rule out:
-Parasites
-Diets deficient in nutrients and calories
-Malabsorption syndromes
-Diabetes
-Cushing’s
-Thyroid disease
-& other conditions that might cause an increase in appetite
In many cases, dogs start to eat their own 💩 because of some kind of environmental stress or behavioral triggers, including:
-Isolation
-Restrictive Confinement
-Anxiety
-Attention-Seeking
-Inappropriate association with real food (fed near 💩)
-Scenting it on their mothers
-Living with a sick or elderly dog
Leave a 💩 emoji in the comments below if you've ever caught your dog eating 💩 😳
Bad breath (halitosis) in dogs is NOT normal!
Halitosis is caused as plaque accumulates and gingivitis progresses to periodontitis, the bacterial flora in the mouth change from good bacteria to destructive bacteria. Bad bacteria cause decay. Decay creates sulfur compounds! And the sulfur compounds? ...Well, they're the culprit behind halitosis!
Obviously, bad breath is undesirable. Poor dental health for your pet is also undesirable. Keep your pet's teeth healthy and reduce periodontal disease with:
- Dental treats
- Dental chews
- Prescription diets
- Water additives
- Doggy toothpaste
- Oral wipes
- Food additives
- Oral gels or sealants
- 🩺 Regular wellness checkups 🩺
